Lesson of the Day: Humility

This is not "humility" in the sense of being humiliated, but humility in the sense of the giving over of oneself. I have learned through the course of time, the proverb, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the All-holy is understanding (Prov.9:10)." I have learned through experience Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding." Yet, I am impressed day by day that as much as I think I have learned, there is always room to improve and grow. Sometimes that means taking steps back and sometimes it means relearning what you already know.

Humility is one of those things that creeps up on you. You think you have a handle on it and then POW....something happens to remind you that you aren't as humble as you think yourself to be. I have had that happen many times. I thank God that at least I have begun to learn how to recognize some things that are triggers that can come to be used of evil intent. One of these is when you get into a particularly "grumbly" mood. By this I mean that things aren't going right for you and you start getting perturbed.

• Being perturbed starts leading to complaint and complaint begins to lead to finding fault.
  
• Finding fault leads to supposition
• Supposition to accusation
  
• Accusation to hurtful speech.
  

Thus the cascade. Interesting how it all starts with a shift in mood. I don't intend to get into any of these and I most certainly know that each of these can lead to wrong. Yet again, I am impressed at how easy it is to fall into this in a heartbeat's breath. I'm also impressed at how easy it is to go from one to the other without thinking about it.

I know that many have differing thoughts on how God "operates" in the lives of people. That said, I believe that God's Spirit resides within us, reminding us of what He has written at times just as this. My revelation was like a flagman on the side of the road warning of danger ahead. I could sense the change in mood, feel the tenseness of being perturbed and had made it to "grumbly complaint" within myself when I caught myself.

God's Spirit here, Hey...Jim...that kind of thinking is not a good thing."

"Hey....Hey...Jim...I know you're in a mood, but really this is starting to get a little out of hand. You know they aren't like that...."

"JIM....wake up man! What are you saying? Didn't you just study the other night, to think more of yourself than you ought to (Romans 12)? Now look at yourself. Complaining and now starting to accuse and no one has even done anything except yourself!"

Need to say more? Lesson learned. My lesson for the day is humility, with a shade of shame that I had to rethink and in some sense relearn what I thought I already knew. Thank you Lord for revealing this to me, and help me please to do better.

On The Cause of Pain and Suffering

I had a friend write me recently and ask the following question, "... why do we pray and ask Him (God)to protect us and keep us from harm and to take care of our loved ones...if He does not heal us then why do we pray for Him to heal?"

This is a good question. God's plan for us all along is to make us Holy, so that we can have the fellowship and relationship that he has designed for us from the beginning. It is we who have made a mess of things, not Him. So, we need to remember (because we were the ones that messed things up) …

• That Holiness comes before personal happiness.
• That making us Holy is hard work for God and for us

That said, man often understands and preaches that misunderstanding and makes the mistake of underestimating the energy and nature of UNHOLINESS in the human heart. God is love (1 Jn.4:8), but while there is the goodness of God, there is also the severity (Rom.11:22) of that love.

God loved the people of Israel when be brought them out of Egypt and set their direction for the Promised Land. When they started out (as Numbers indicates) there were 603,550 men (not including women, children and elderly), but when they get to the brink of the Promised Land 603,548 of them don't make it. In their hearts, they became presumptuous and unbelieving. They never looked into their own hearts, and they wouldn't believe that God could overcome EVERY problem including their own presumption and unbelief (Heb.3:12-19). What does all of this teach us?

1. That God hates sin and will punish the sinner.
2. That everything in us that is bad, God destroys in order to bring out and release in us what is good.
3. Goodness is in us because God put it there and revealed it by His Son.

How does that apply to the question? Bad things happen to us in life, not BECAUSE of what God has done, but because of what WE do or have done, or others like us have done. When a person such as you that has had cancer, goes to a doctor - the doctor did not cause the cancer. It is sin that has brought the consequence of human decay and disease into the world, because MAN chose to eat of the fruit in the Garden (Gen.3:3,6). God cannot "coddle" us any more than a good surgeon could coddle the cancer in a patient. However, just as a surgeon can remove the cancer, so God can remove and purify that which keeps us from eternal life.

The world's way of thinking assumes that life should be more comfortable and much easier, and if it isn't, then it must be God's fault because He made it all. Just like Israel in the wandering, they forget that God didn't make it that way! Man's choice did. Man made the mess, and then we want God to clean it up.

Why then do we pray and ask Him to protect us and keep us from harm and to take care of our loved ones...if He does not heal us then why do we pray for Him to heal?

Because like Job, we feel that we did not warrant what happens to us and that I shouldn't suffer because of someone else's wrong. We feel that we deserve an answer from God, and that the answer should be what WE want.

• We ask God to keep us from harm - Jesus taught that we should pray " lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Mt.6:13)
• We ask to God take care of our loved ones à Jesus taught that we should pray " Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Mt.6:10)

Once Job understood this, read Job 42:1-6.

If He does not heal us then why do we pray for Him to heal?

Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

God will often make these the means of recovery; but there just as often cases where faith and prayer are both ineffectual - because God sees it will be prejudicial to the patient’s salvation or spiritual growth to be restored (2 Cor.12:8,9). Faith and prayer on such occasions should be that if it is best for God's glory, and the eternal good of that person's soul, then let him be restored. This goes back to Matt.6:10, that we should submit all things, prayer and faith to God's will, and not presuppose that what I want is the will of God.

There is much to human suffering and pain, yet, it is a mistake to blame God. It is our mess and our (mankind's) own doing. We should appreciate as did Job, when he came to understand ,that God looks upon us with grace and mercy even though we do not deserve it.

BOOK REVIEW: The Shack by William P. Young

The Shack: William P Young
http://theshackbook.com/

My wife and I read this to one another, and WOW! Normally I don't get "involved" in books like this, but as soon as I started reading, we were hooked.

If you're reading this for the first time, there are some things in this book that are different, but my encouragement to you is stay with it and read it through. You will be the better for it. There are definitely some things in this book that the author deals with on a very personal level and definitely some things that will make you take a look at yourself deeply. One thing that I got out of the book, is not to put your concept of God, nor your thinking of God in a box.

I think that this is a book, that the outcome of the book and the impact will be different, depending upon the person reading it. I was talking with a friend the other day, who didn't have the same reaction that I had to it, but then I spoke with another who came away breath taken.
So...all I can encourage you to do is buckle up and read. Try not to do so with preconceived prejudices. Then...sit down and talk with God about yourself when you get done.

Am I going to tell you what it is about? Its about a visit to "The Shack" Maybe we all need to go to "The Shack" sometimes. I know I do.

BOOK REVIEW: What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

My review of this book is slightly mixed though positive in most respects. Overall, I find the book a very pleasant one, easy to read and understand.

It is written in the form of maxims or principles toward how to find your way to a relationship with God. Written from the perspective of a person that is just beginning this walk, it is simple and to the point. There is good basic advice relevant to modern situations. I was impressed that the writers citation of scripture, that it was not overbearing, or that it made the reading boring.

I also liked the progression of the principles and this was what I found most pleasing about the book. For a person just beginning their journey out of a life of worldliness and into a life of spiritual living, I think this book would be a good gem to have. It was very straightforward, yet kind in its approach in encouraging the taking of the next step. I found myself wanting to read the next principle and then go back and re-read again.

I was surprised to find Bonus Material in the back that I felt very poignant with regard to answering some tough situations that people may be experiencing. Discouragement and Depression, Habits and Addictions, Sex and Intimacy. Wow - this was a great addition to this book!

I came away thinking that I know a young couple that I am counseling with, that I am going to give this book to to read.

Is there anything negative about the book? Not really. My only criticism if you would want to call it that, is that I wish the writers had gone into more detail in some places. But, I am a technical reader and most people are not. So this is not really a criticism as much as an observance.

A good book to recommend and read.

Growing Spiritually

"he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion."

(Ph'p 1:6)

Spring is just around the corner! Many will begin to think of planting gardens, or the benefits of going to the store and buying fresh veggies. The trouble though with buying fruits or vegetables at stores, is that fruit is often picked unripened so it won't bruise during shipping to the stores. Before sold, these are sprayed with CO2 gas to give them ripened appearance instantly. While edible, they are no match to the flavor of a fruit or vegetable that is allowed to mature slowly.

The same is true for the fruits of the Spirit in my life. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time and while we worry about how fast we’re growing, God is concerned about how strong we grow. Hebrews 11 is a testament to the fact that growth comes early for some, and there are others that it takes all the way to the point old age before we ever achieve what God considers “mature faith.” The reason is that this maturity takes time and experience to achieve, it is not something that we can “gas” and then expect to be mature tomorrow. Faith is achieved one bit, one victory at a time. There will be some costly battles, some wins, many losses and the constant necessity to push forward. It is interesting that the first time that we perceive the Lord knocking on the door, most of us are resistant and defensive. At this point in our lives, we feel that Jesus is “standing at the door and bombing!” It is not until after we come to know the truth, that we understand that it was only a “knock.” We may think we have surrendered our life to him, but the truth is, there is a lot to our life that we aren't even aware of that still needs growing and ripening.

The scripture that we referenced above assures us that we are never alone in any of this. God has promised that "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion (Ph’p.1:6)." Every struggle, every battle – HE is there! And there is something for us to learn, observe or do in each one that stands to help us mature into what God sees in me. Jacob (meaning the "supplanter” or one who causes to stumble), had to wrestle an angel (Gen.35) before he would grow to be called Israel (God will rule).

Growing up doesn’t stop after we turn twenty, it’s just getting started, and will continue until the day that we draw our last breath (Ph'p.3:12-15).

REVIEW: Influencing Like Jesus by Michael Zigarelli

Lately, I have been trying to "improve my serve" so to speak, looking into ways that I can be a better teacher, mentor, person. This set me on a quest for knowledge and I didn't want to approach things the old standard way. I've seen too many books out there that treat teaching the gospel like selling the latest "Bando buy it now for only $19.95" commercial. I wanted something genuine, that helped me to think.

Enter Michael Zigarelli's book "Influencing Like Jesus" that was recommended to me. So I did the cautious thing and went to Amazon to check it out. I wanted to see what others had said about it, and if I could to get a sneak peek inside. I found that I was able to download a sample, so I did. I liked what I saw, but initially thought that this was sort of the "same ol'" that I have heard. So, I bought the book - the actual book not a digital copy.

Now, I'm a slow reader because I like to process what I read. I like to catch the snipits and dwell on them, think about them, and study them along with the Bible if they are a spiritually oriented book as this one is. And I have been processing.

• Much of what he has written, I already "know" and a lot of it I have done. What I found intriguing was the genuineness behind the book and the encouragement I felt to do and be what he was recommending.
  
• Another thing that stood out to me in the book was the parallels to biblical examples to what he was citing. This - struck home with me!
  
• The more I read, the more intrigued I became. I also now have the workbook, and find it equally stimulating.
  
• Each section offers opportunity for reflection and discussion (especially if you are in a small group) and a worksheet - which I loved and have implemented.

My overall opinion on this book if you have not gathered by now, is good. I heartily recommend it to those trying to teach others the gospel or to lead group studies within their congregations. I believe you can be bettered by reading it. Its intriguing and not some boring "sales manual" type of book. It is engaging and I recommend it for your own library and personal development. You won't be sorry.

Mixing Myth and Scripture - Getting the Facts Straight

I've been searching for a topic to write on and this one happened to pop out. In a new discovery reported by DISCOVERY today, there is a title "Slaves Didn't Build Pyramids: Egypt." (http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/pyramids-tombs-giza-egypt.html)

The article states, "The mud-brick tombs were uncovered last week in the backyard of the Giza pyramids, stretching beyond a burial site first discovered in the 1990s and dating to the 4th Dynasty (2575 B.C. to 2467 B.C.), when the great pyramids were built on the fringes of present-day Cairo.

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus once described the pyramid builders as slaves, creating what Egyptologists say is a myth later propagated by Hollywood films.

Graves of the pyramid builders were first discovered in the area in 1990 when a tourist on horseback stumbled over a wall that later proved to be a tomb. Egypt's archaeology chief Zahi Hawass said that discovery and the latest finds last week show that the workers were paid laborers, rather than the slaves of popular imagination.

Hawass told reporters at the site that the find, first announced on Sunday, sheds more light on the lifestyle and origins of the pyramid builders. Most importantly, he said the workers were not recruited from slaves commonly found across Egypt during pharaonic times."

This is interesting and I do not dispute the findings. What is interesting to me is how people in general assume things, and the assumptions become scripture. People have assumed, probably because of Herodotus and Cecil B. DeMills, that because the movies show the Jews in bondage, that they must have been the pyramid builders of the past. Yet, the scripture does not mention anything about them building the pyramids (Ex.2:23; 6:5,6,9; 13:3,14; 20:2). It simply says that they were in bondage or slavery and that they made mud-bricks. It is also interesting that the Jews dwelt in Goshen in the northeastern delta extending from Succoth to Piramesse. Cairo is is along the Nile immediately south of the point where the river leaves its desert-bound valley and branches into the low-lying delta region with the city itself residing on the east bank.

Something to notice in the Discovery Article above, is that it does not deny that there were slaves during the times of the Pharoahs. So, both this article, with the scripture have shown us that the Bible accord is still correct, and the assumptions of man have been burst again. So, the next time we tell the story of the Exodus, let's not paint things into the picture that aren't there. As well, let's not jump on some discovery bandwagon and shout the Bible is wrong, without investigating what it DOES say first!